Arts & Culture
Oak Bay is rich in culture with various inspiring galleries, outdoor sculptures to admire, and painted pianos placed outside that can be played by anyone wishing to share a tune.
Canadian College of Performing Arts
The Canadian College of Performing Arts presents a season of six plays over an October - April season, five of which are typically presented at the College's Performance Hall on Elgin Road, as well as special events including the annual TD Festival of New Works, community events and performances, and more.
Kitty Islet is located right along the east side of McNeill Bay. Not your typical park, this natural waterfront park brings you closer to marine life and water vessels soaring by.
Enjoy peaceful views of Trial Island and the Olympic Mountains on the permanent wooden Adirondack chairs perched on the rocky bluffs, ideal for bird watching, fishing, and sea lion watching. The terrain is left untouched and its access can be impeded at times due to the tides.
Oak Bay Village Christmas Festival
Every year as the cooler sea air sets in, Oak Bay Village welcomes the oncoming holidays with the grand Oak Bay Christmas Festival.
Family activities start at 2 PM with a bouncy castle, street games, craft stations and lighted trucks. Onstage entertainment begins at 3 PM. Plus enjoy roasted chestnuts, letters to Santa, and thousands of lights on buildings, trees and lampposts throughout the Village.
In Oak Bay there are 28 heritage designated homes and 7 heritage designated properties. The great majority of designated sites are also listed in the Community Heritage Register.
Heritage designation is a method of conserving places. The effect of heritage designation is to preserve the key features of a building and/or land that give it a distinctive heritage character. A formally designated municipal heritage site will remain a legacy to be appreciated by present and future generations.
Outdoor Painted Pianos
The avenues of Oak Bay are about to get a little more musical in the summertime. The public painted piano program is one that brings joy and energy to our beautiful community.
Each year, four to five new pianos are purchased and painted by local artists. They are then placed in chosen locations along the coast, in the parks, and around Oak Bay Village.
Each August during Oak Bay’s Arts & Culture Festival, Bowker Creek comes alive with artists and art enthusiasts. Named the Bowker Creek Brush Up, over 40 artist come down, set up their easels, display their art, and paint away – providing demonstrations and insight into how their create their art.
More than 2000 spectators come through this beautiful event along the creek. It’s a wonderful event to explore your creative side, ask questions of the artists, and take home some art!
Summer Concerts at Willows Park
Oak Bay Parks, Recreation, and Culture spoils us in Oak Bay with free concerts on the beach throughout the summer!
The musical line-up is chosen to support established, as well as up and coming local talent who blend musical styles. Audiences can expect something different each time and a chance to enjoy music outdoors.
Bring a blanket and a picnic, and enjoy live music in a beautiful setting. Expect a variety of musical styles by local performers. Willows Beach Park is located at Dalhousie Street at Beach Drive.
For over 50 years, Oak Bay has celebrated the first weekend in June with the Oak Bay Tea Party. The parade kicks off early on the Saturday morning, and is led all through Oak Bay to its final destination, Willows Beach. Don't miss the mayor of Oak Bay, as they usually lead the parade (and toss a couple of kilos of candy along the way).
Oak Bay Collector Car Festival
Every year Oak Bay Avenue is filled end to end with the Oak Bay Collector Car Festival from days gone by. Tail fins, V8's, Batmobiles, and Model T's. There's enough rumble to set off the city's Richter scale.